Countdown 37 Day Election

California 7 days until early voting

TRUMP’s DIVERSIONS FOR TODAY                                                                         

The closer to the election the more bombastic and diversionary tactics Trump will utilize to take the news away from his responsibility for both the Covid-19 elephant and the impending economic disaster looming between now and January 21^st 2021.

Oh that’s right he abdicated his responsibilities to the states after he delayed any action for 6 weeks so his administration could set up manufacturers to compete and allow price gouging for PPE and masks and issue ventilator contracts that were never used and paying 3 times the going rate for the same units.

Ok, the virus has killed 205,000 citizens, and everyone can see the damage the for the lack of initial and current responses, not having any promised plan for the virus, and with no attempts to control the virus, so what’s next.  This administration has never embraced the science and issues political decisions overriding public health issues.

Ignore the death count, don’t talk about it, ignore the elephant and look over here at this shiny object.  In his latest laser show he gives everyone a wedgie when asked if there would be a peaceful transition of power.  This latest barrage from Trump shows his desperation to change the subject, with more to come by November.

Trump has broken so many norms making statements that have people running around as if the world was on fire with this one.  To pull off some of the nightmare scenarios for Trump to hold on to power, when he loses, is unlikely, but you must be prepared.  The trick most agree on is his declaration of victory on election night before all the absentee ballots are counted.  This ploy could only work if everyone ignores the fact that Democrats by an overwhelming majority are requesting absentee ballots.  These ballots will be counted days and perhaps weeks after the election.  Trump will push for a “Florida Bush” and declare victory before all votes are counted, protest and go up to the Supremes for vindication.

  Having the justice department declare ballots not received by election day to be invalid, and other spurious arguments are possible. The antidote for all his dirty tricks is voting, and winning by exceptional margins.  This is not to say everyone needs to be aware of his antics and be prepared to counter his BS.

The second laser show he cooked up to soothe everyone’s concern that he is taking away “pre-existing conditions” from being discriminated against in the current Affordable Care Act.  This fear stems from actual actions this administration is taking to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. The Supreme Court is taking up this case 1 week after the election and Trump wants to get rid of the CA at any cost. If struck down the “pre existing conditions” language will no longer apply. Everyone with pre-existing conditions and will have no recourse for insurance companies that gouge policy holders. 

In order to soothe his followers concerns of the Trumpeters or Trumpophiles or whatever your cult is called, he has written a useless Executive Order. Someone should tell Trump that only the action of the Supreme Court will cause the elimination of the protections. This court action could impact over ½ the non-elderly families.   Older people are covered for the most part by Medicare or Medicaid would not be impacted.

Trump: “we are delivering better care, with more choice, at a much lower cost and working to ensure Americans have access to the care they need”  were his words in North Carolina on Thursday.  This comes as the Republicans have said they have a better plan for the last 10 years.  Trump has promised a plan within weeks at least 3 times in the last year.  The ACA is still performing and has a much better approval rating than Trump. 

The Executive order is an ersatz attempt to hide his intentions.  This Executive order will not replace health care law.  While Executive Orders can be used to direct federal agencies to do only certain things. Executive orders cannot change laws, put in place any new legal restrictions, or place any legal requirements on how health insurers act in a commercial market.

If the Supreme Court strikes down the 2010 ACA the presidential order becomes a recommendation only.  This fact was acknowledged by the Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar.  Legislation will be required to save individuals with pre-existing condition from being discriminated against for health insurance if the Supreme Court acts to side with the Trump Administration.  With Trump’s latest choice for SCOTUS nominee he will surely be determined that she is against the ACA law to insure it is abolished, after all it was Obama’s. 

Of course there is no replacement, and without the law as many as 20,000,000 Americans will be uninsured and go into the health insurance market without ACA protections.  Since the ACA less than 10% of the population was not insured for the first time ever.  Insured with actual health care that included required services.   The ACA does not currently allow any insurer to discriminate against anyone with pre-existing conditions.

The action by Trump is mere symbolism to appease his unknowing and gullible followers, Trumpophiles, or Trumpetts afraid of losing their health care “pre-existing condition” clause in their insurance.  The order does nothing about the cost of insurance, or other consumer protections that are linked to “pre-existing conditions” such as laws that ban charging women more than men or how the limits on how much more older people can be charged than younger people. 

I wish he and his minions would prepare for the winter.  Again because Trump refuses to use the Defense Production Act health care providers are currently competing for N-95 masks.  Driving costs and increasing profits.  Trump should use the DPA and order 1 billion N-95 masks and insure everyone that needs them uses them.  Millions of masks won’t cut it, 1 billion is only 3 masks for each American.  Health Care workers should only use one per patient and then discard the mask in practice they use the same one all day.

So the light show is over, the Executive ersatz order is totally useless no matter the outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision in the next few weeks.  It’s only show! And a waste of everyone’s time.